New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
The week begins with Mayor Bill de Blasio again returning from a trip to an early presidential primary state as he continues to tease a potential run for president. He's not a candidate at this time but he's not ruling it out, he regularly says. This weekend he was in New Hampshire, after a trip to South Carolina last weekend, and Iowa before that. De Blasio has also repeatedly said he will decide on whether to enter the Democratic primary fray sooner rather than later, which would, one assumes, mean fairly soon.
Meanwhile, the City Council will continue this week to examine the mayor's $92.2 billion preliminary budget, with another series of committee hearings.
More pressingly, Monday marks just two weeks until a state budget is due on April 1. The Legislature will be in session in Albany three days this week, with public and private budget negotiations expected among representatives of Governor Cuomo, the Senate majority, and the Assembly majority. It's unclear when Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie may meet themselves.
Key issues on the table include exactly how much to spend and on what, which revenue-raising policies to keep/add/end/enhance (like a new pied-á-terre tax), and specific issues like marijuana legalization, congestion pricing and MTA reform, criminal justice reform, environmental and energy policy, campaign finance and ethics reforms. Cuomo has said he won't approve of a budget that doesn't include criminal justice reforms (to bail, speedy trial, and discovery) and a permanent 2% cap on annual property tax increases everywhere outside New York City, which has been exempt to the current cap, which expires in 2020. The Senate has approved of the cap, the Assembly has not, but Heastie has not explicitly said the Assembly is against doing it -- it appears it may be more of a bargaining item at this point. Cuomo, who continues to criticize Senate Democrats for the loss of the Amazon deal, has said that he and the legislative majorities are further apart on marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform than legislators have indicated.
Also to watch are the extension of mayoral control of New York City schools, which isn't due to expire until June, but could be done in the budget, perhaps with tweaks to the system to empower local communities and parents, and the cap on charter schools -- all of the slots allowed in New York City under the current cap have now been filled -- among additional issues that are at times flying under the radar. As usual, state school aid to localities is a key topic of negotiation, as well as health care funding, namely through Medicaid, again from the state to localities.
We're also watching this week as the 2019 Charter Revision Commission continues to do its work, hearing from experts on various focus areas and considering proposals to change the city charter. Whatever the commission decides is worthy of possible change to the charter, the city's foundational legal document, will go before voters in November.
There are a variety of events to be aware of this week - see our day-by-day rundown below.
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Monday in Albany.
On Monday at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, "Mayor de Blasio will hold public hearings and sign three pieces of legislation—Intro 1329-A to give BIC the authority to register unions and union representatives operating in the trade waste industry; Intro. 1373-A which requires BIC to refer labor and wage violations to the proper state or federal authorities; and Intro. 1368-A which requires BIC to share workers’ rights information to the employees of the trade waste industry...In the evening, the Mayor will appear on NY1’s Inside City Hall."
There will be a preliminary budget hearing Monday at the City Council on health at 10 a.m., regarding the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Medical Examiner.
Also at the City Council on Monday:
--The Committee on Small Business will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss several proposed laws, including laws requiring SBS to perform an assessment of the “state of storefront businesses” in the city every five years, requiring developments receiving city financial assistance to provide affordable retail space, providing legal services to small business owners facing eviction, and requiring property owners to register vacant storefronts with the city.
--The Committees on Oversight & Investigations and Economic Development will meet jointly at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding the New York Works jobs plan.
--The Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions, and Concessions will meet at 1 p.m.
On Monday at 10:30 a.m., Comptroller Scott Stringer will appear on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show. In the evening, Stringer will be in Queens to host a "roundtable with South Asian Community Stakeholders."
At noon Monday, the Association for a Better New York will host MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber for a lunch discussion on “rebuilding and expanding New York's transit system to make it faster, better, and more affordable.” The event will take place at CBRE’s Midtown offices at 200 Park Avenue.
At 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, the 2019 Charter Revision Commission will hold its fifth “issues forum” featuring experts on the specific focus topic at hand and potential charter revisions. This forum will focus on the city’s governance and elections, with topics to include the role of the Public Advocate and the “appointment and removal powers of city officials.”
At 6:30 p.m. Monday, U.S. Rep. Max Rose will hold a town hall meeting at St. Philips Baptist Church in Port Richmond, Staten Island.
Tuesday
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Tuesday in Albany.
At noon Tuesday, the New York State Board of Elections will hold a commissioners’ meeting in Albany.
The following City Council committees will hold preliminary budget hearings on Tuesday:
--Public Safety at 10 a.m., regarding the NYPD and the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
--Justice System and Public Safety jointly at 2:30 p.m., regarding district attorneys, the special narcotics prosecutor, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the Office of Civil Justice, and legal aid.
Also at the City Council on Tuesday:
--The Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet at 9:30 a.m.
--The Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting, and Maritime Uses will meet at noon.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the MTA will host the third of four open houses for community members regarding the “revised” L-train rehab project. This open house will take place at the Grand Street Campus High School in Williamsburg.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Association for a Better New York will host City Planning Commission Chair Marisa Lago at a happy hour at the Beekman Pub in the Financial District. Lago “will discuss her career path, experience as the City Planning Commissioner Chair, and vision for New York City.”
Wednesday
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Wednesday in Albany.
The following City Council committees will hold preliminary budget hearings on Wednesday:
--Education at 10 a.m., regarding the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority.
--Immigration at 2 p.m., regarding the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the state’s Census commission will hold the third of six public hearings to discuss the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census and the myriad related issues. The hearing will take place at SUNY Sullivan in Loch Sheldrake, Sullivan County.
Thursday
At 9 a.m. Thursday, City & State will host its 2019 “Diversity Summit” at National Geographic Encounter in Midtown. Leaders in government, business, and academia will discuss diversity within civic spaces. Keynote remarks will be delivered by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez. Other speakers include State Senator James Sanders; City Council Members Robert Cornegy, Helen Rosenthal, and Rafael Salamanca; Lourdes Zapata, Chief Diversity Officer in the Governor’s office; Jonnel Doris, Director of the Mayor’s Office of MWBE; Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities; Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services; Michael Garner, Chief Diversity Officer for the MTA; Lorraine Grillo, President of the School Construction Authority; and others.
At 9 a.m. Thursday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will host an “Irish Heritage Breakfast” at his offices in the Manhattan Municipal Building.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, the 2019 Charter Revision Commission will hold its sixth “issues forum” at City Hall to discuss potential charter revisions. This forum will focus on the city’s land use process.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will hold a public hearing at the Cooper Union to hear from Manhattan residents on the issue of congestion pricing.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, Assemblymember Latrice Walker, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, and the Let NY Vote coalition will host “The New York Voting Rights Agenda: The Challenges Ahead” at Brooklyn Law School. The speakers will discuss the reforms recently passed by the state and other reforms that have yet to pass, including automatic registration, codifying the restoration of voting rights to felons into state law, and reenacting the protections afforded by the Voting Rights Act.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez will hold a community town hall meeting at the Manny Cantor Center on the Lower East Side.
Friday and the weekend
Mayor de Blasio may make his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show Friday morning at 10 a.m.
The following City Council committees will hold preliminary budget hearings on Friday:
--Housing and Buildings at 10 a.m., regarding the Department of Buildings.
--Housing & Buildings and Capital Budget jointly at 11 a.m., regarding the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
--Public Housing and Capital Budget jointly at 2 p.m., regarding NYCHA.
At 1 p.m. Friday, the Senate Standing Committees on Corporations and Transportation and the Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation will meet jointly at Onondaga Community College for a public hearing regarding the effectiveness of the state’s transit network in Syracuse.
At 3 p.m. Saturday, U.S. Rep. Max Rose will hold a town hall meeting at Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
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Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).
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by Ben Brachfeld and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
Comptroller DiNapoli, right, and Gov. Cuomo (photo: governor's office)
With a state budget due April 1 and several major question marks hanging over negotiations between Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli gave his latest assessment of New York’s economic outlook and key aspects of the budget picture. Appearing on WBAI radio’s Max & Murphy show on Wednesday, DiNapoli reiterated the concern over dips in state revenue, which he and Cuomo have attributed to impact from the new federal tax code and related taxpayer behavior.
The state’s chief fiscal watchdog also said more data is essential before making any final declarations, acknowledging that everyone will know a lot more once most of the tax returns are in next month. Yet, amid more uncertainty than in recent years state leaders must craft a new budget well before the April 15 tax deadline, a fact that has prompted some, including Cuomo, to revisit the notion of moving the state fiscal year to start in June or July, something DiNapoli said is worth taking a serious look at.
On that question and others, DiNapoli gave his typically cautious answers, not taking a definitive stand on several issues on the negotiating table. DiNapoli noted that he does not have a seat at that table, but that his job is to evaluate the budget that is agreed upon by those who do, namely the governor and the two houses of the Legislature.
In January, DiNapoli and Cuomo announced that the state fell short of its projected revenue by $2.3 billion. He partly blamed geopolitical uncertainty regarding President Trump’s tumultuous trade war with China, turbulent Brexit negotiations, and stock market fluctuation. But more so, DiNapoli held the 2017 federal tax overhaul responsible, which instituted a cap on individuals’ ability to deduct state and local taxes from federal taxes and significantly impacts New York due to the high taxes at the state and local levels.
Much of dip in state revenues “had to do with a change in taxpayer behavior,” DiNapoli said. “Particularly the cap on local and tax deductibility.” He added that the state has already regained losses from down financial markets in December, but advised waiting to draw definitive conclusions.
“We probably need more data from the Department of Tax and Finance,” he said. But DiNapoli also attributed some losses to ultra-wealthy residents fleeing the state, echoing Cuomo, but, also like Cuomo, not yet able to offer definitive proof. “One percent of New York taxpayers carry 46 percent of the personal income tax revenue that comes to the state,” he reminded.
“If you lose even a handful of those billionaires or multi-millionaires,” the state will feel the difference, he said.
“The next time we’ll have more solid numbers is in April and the budget is supposed to be done by April 1,” he said. “Which begs the question of whether to change the fiscal year.” While DiNapoli admitted “there’s a logic to it,” considering most other states either begin on July 1 or run on a calendar year, he said “the likelihood of that reform happening anytime soon is probably wishful thinking.”
“New York is still in a strong position,” he said. “I would hope that April would see some rebound in the collections. We don’t know that for sure.”
As the state budget is finalized, DiNapoli voiced moderate support for a pied-à-terre tax system, which would tax high-value homes in New York City that are not the owners’ primary residences. “We’re setting a threshold at $5 million,” he explained. “If you can afford a $5 million pied-à-terre, you can probably handle additional levels of taxation.”
He spoke to indecision in the state legislature regarding further measures to raise revenue and the notion that a plan to legalize and tax recreational marijuana may not be included in this year’s spending plan. “There was never an expectation that marijuana legalization was going to bring in money in the coming fiscal year,” he said. The hosts and the comptroller also noted that congestion pricing for Manhattan’s central business district may also not happen, despite widespread agreement that it is needed, both to help declutter the streets and to raise revenue for mass transit.
“At this point, you have some very different sets of priorities about how to” raise revenue within the state legislature, DiNapoli said. He emphasized that under a plan put forth by Assembly Democrats, upper income New Yorkers would pay higher taxes, but the Senate majority and Cuomo appear against that path, though all agree on extending the current “millionaires’ tax” that is soon to otherwise expire. “Under the Assembly’s proposal, they would add three new higher tax brackets,” he explained. “They estimate that would raise $1.3 billion, in addition to that pied-à-terre tax.”
The question of how Cuomo and legislators will raise new revenue and cautiously budget based on the projected revenue forecast will continue to be essential to budget negotiations over the next two weeks or so.
On the always contentious topic of education aid from the state to localities, DiNapoli said agreement is often challenging because “what is equitable very much sits with the eye of the beholder.” He said it is indeed worth considering recommendations from the Citizens Budget Commission and like-minded experts who say that the state should not continually increase aid to all local school districts, but only target aid to the neediest districts.
DiNapoli was also asked about the status of work he’s overseeing to use the state pension fund toward the fight against climate change.
DiNapoli said that he had had a conference call that day with individuals involved in his Decarbonization Advisory Panel, which is evaluating ways to further use state investments to influence the world’s biggest polluters. DiNapoli, who has resisted calls to divest the pension fund from fossil fuel companies, said a plan will be forthcoming in the next couple of months. The panel’s stated goal is “how to best decarbonize the pension fund in a way that will secure retirement for hardworking New Yorkers and help support the overall health of the state’s economy and protect our environment for generations to come,” according to the governor’s office. DiNapoli said that this week based on pressure from the pension fund, Dollar General and Under Armour both agreed to formulate plans to reduce their carbon footprint.
[LISTEN: Max & Murphy Podcast: Comptroller Tom DiNapoli]
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by Savannah Jacobson
@srjacobson1
@GothamGazette
Ben Max, left, of Gotham Gazette, and Jarrett Murphy, right, of City Limits
March 13, 2019 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Comptroller Tom DiNapoli
With the state budget deadline of April 1 fast approaching, state finances in challenging position, and a wide variety of issues on the table as the governor and legislature negotiate, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli joined the show to give his perspective on the state's economic outlook, budget picture, and key aspects of fiscal debate.
Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think -- we're on Twitter @TweetBenMax and @JarrettMurphy. You can listen to the show through the embedded audio below or download the episode wherever you get your podcasts, under "Max & Murphy," and listen to Max & Murphy live on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. on WBAI radio, 99.5FM or wbai.org
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by Ben Max, Gotham Gazette
@tweetBenMax @GothamGazette